Before She Goes
by Blyssabella
Summary: Della Duck is parting from this ungrateful world, but her estranged daughter has something to say to her first.


It was noon. A light breeze drafted through the window causing the hospital curtains to billow. In the hospital bed, was an aged duck. Her breathing was labored. The heart monitor that connected to the duck matched her heartbeat with steady beeps. The sight of Della Duck dying was a sad one. Her 51-year old sons gathered around her and her 70-year brother, Donald, sat by her side and held her hand. Donald would rub her knuckles every time she spiraled into a coughing fit. It was just this morning that the doctor told them that Della Duck would die of pneumonia and the family was still in tears.

"You always were one to rush into things, Del…" Donald croaked, tears falling down his face as he chuckled softly. Della smiled weakly at him and coughed.

"W-where's Melody…?"

That had been Della's only question since they arrived that morning. Donald, Huey, Dewey, and Louie shared a worried look.

"…So, mom, remember the first time we played Legend Quest together?" Huey asked, turning his attention to his dying mother. Della nodded her head tiredly.

"You were too afraid to leave your shield…" Della muttered weakly.

"Yeah, but you taught me to get out of my comfort zone," Huey smiled softly, tearing up for the millionth time.

"…I remember…"

"And the time you grounded me for creating a time paradox," Louie snorted, his tears having been dry for a while. Della smiled fondly.

"…You ended up learning humility due to that."

"Yeah, yeah," Louie rolled his eyes good naturedly even as he started to tear up again.

"And remember when we broke into the seed vault just to see money trees...?" Dewey croaked through crocodile tears. He was the closest to Della out of all of his brothers, and he showed the great pain in his chest through his tears. Della nodded weakly.

"…I remember Melody used to come home with paint on her face…" Della started to tear up. Not because she was dying, but because she wanted her daughter, Melody, here. "Where's Melody…?"

Donald sighed and shook his head sadly.

"Remember when Panchito, Jose and I came back from Acapulco? Uncle Scrooge was furious when he found out I had a concussion!" Donald smiled fondly at the memory. Della smiled weakly, then spiraled into another coughing fit. Donald rubbing her knuckles gently as he waited patiently for her to recover.

"…Yeah…," Della trailed off after her coughing fit.

Donald and the triplets stayed with her for a few more hours, but they eventually had to say their final goodbyes.

Louie left first.

"B-bye mom," he stuttered as tears sprung back into his eyes. He knew this would be the last time he saw her alive. He kissed her on the cheek as a rare show of affection and left.

Huey and Donald were next.

Donald squeezed Della's hand as Huey gathered his things. Della looked to him, her eyes lacking any sparkle.

He leaned over and hugged her. "See you real soon, Del…"

Donald retracted from the hug as Huey helped him stand. Huey hugged his mom. "Love you, mom."

Huey and Donald left.

It was Dewey who left last. He held one of his mother's hands as he cried. All Della could do was lightly squeeze his hand. The last thing she said to him was: "Do you know where Melody is?"

Dewey just teared up more and hugged his mom. "I love you mom. I gotta go…"

Then Della was left on her own.

It was sunset. Hues of yellow and orange flooded into Della's room. It was the perfect time to go… but there was a knock at her door. Della looked towards the door as the handle turned. The door opened and her 48-year-old daughter, Melody Duck, walked in. Della's face lit up with a small smile.

"I had a feeling you would be here…"

Melody didn't even look at her mother as she made her way over to the bed. She stared out the window getting lost in the sunset. Melody sat on the edge of the bed. Her shoulders hunched up as she looked to the ground.

Ever since Melody could remember, she had a grudge on her mother for getting stranded on the moon. At the time her brothers blamed themselves for their mother's disappearance, and Melody blamed Della for the triplets' guilt. Even when Della returned and begged for forgiveness Melody did not forgive her. She'd hated her for so long and wouldn't even call her mom, but now…

"…I'm so sorry…," Melody whimpered as tears welled up in her eyes, "…I should have apologized sooner… I-I lost so much time with my own mother because I refused to move on!"

Melody shook as sobs wracked her body. She hunched over as her sobs and hiccups filled the air.

"I… I never got to do cool mother-daughter activities with you because I was too stubborn!" Melody hiccupped as her sobs started to become hysterical.

"…Melody it's okay…" Della croaked. Melody's head shot towards her mother; her eyes wide.

"H-how can you just say that…? I ruined everything…" Melody said through her sobs.

"…I loved you even if you never forgave me… You're the best daughter I could have asked for…"

Della gestured for a hug and Melody threw herself into her mother's arms, sobbing. Della hugged her back.

Soon Melody's tears dried, and she was left sniffling. She lifted herself from the hug. Della was smiling softly at her.

"You know… when you were younger, and you liked to spray paint and tag buildings… You reminded me of myself then…" Della's eyes sparkled slightly.

"What do you mean…?" Melody hiccupped and sniffled.

"You were rebellious, and you didn't like being told what to do… I'm sure you're still like that… You're not afraid to jump into a situation…" Della weakly explained, "just like me…"

Melody's eyes were wide as tears welled in her eyes again.

"I guess we do have a lot in common…" Melody said after some thought. Melody smiled and Della returned it. Melody reached for her mother's hand and held it.

Melody started humming the moon lullaby softly. Della joined in, closing her eyes. Melody started crying as she continued to hum the song.

Soon Della's humming faded out and the heart monitor flatlined. Melody let out a sob as the sun set.

Melody sighed as she opened the door to her house. Tears stained her cheeks and her feathers were a mess. Melody stepped into the house and closed the door. A tear slipped down her cheek. She forced herself to move to the couch and slumped down onto it and started to cry again.

"…Mel?"

Melody looked behind her to see her wife, Scrubs, standing there. Her face was full of worry and sadness. Melody shook her head sadly and let out a sob. Scrubs frowned and sat next to Melody. She grabbed her hand and Melody leaned onto her as she sobbed. With her free hand, Scrubs tousled and played with Melody's hair gently.

They sat there like that for what seemed to be hours. Melody soon calmed down.

"…She died… As I was holding her hand…," Melody cried and sniffled.

Scrubs squeezed her hand lightly.

"You did the right thing, Mel…," Scrubs said softly, "you forgave her…"

"I was too late… I never got to do anything… She thought I hated her…," Melody muttered.

"You still forgave her… And that showed her that you cared for her," Scrubs brushed a stray tear away from Melody's face.

"Thanks…," Melody said softly, "thank you for convincing me to go see her."

Melody hugged Scrubs and Scrubs hugged her back as the room seemed to lighten and warm up.

**This idea was given to me by a friend. She gave me the a-ok to write this and I also used her OC. Hope you don't mind boo fff**

**Anyways hope y'all enjoyed! ^^**


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